Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 781,687. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905, W. B, DIGKSON.

AGETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1904.

WiTNESSES: INVENTOR M 2422mm 2316x005 I a P ATTORNEYS l atented February 7, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. DICKSON, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO CHARLES E. BONEBRAKE AND JAMES C. NICHOLSON, OF COLUM- BUS, OHIO.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,637, dated February 7', 1905.

Application filed November 18, 1904. Serial No. 233,244.

To (DZ l whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, W ILLIAM B. DICKSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to acetylene-gas-generating devices; and the objects of my invention are to provide an improved construction of generator of this class wherein are provided improved means for automatically feeding calcium carbid into the generating-chamber at such interval and in such proportions as to 5 regulate the production of gas, to provide improved means for disposing of a surplus of gas which may be generated, and to produce certain improvements in details of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved generator, showing portions of the external and internal casings broken away for the sake of clearness in illustration. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line :1: :rof Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line y 1/ of Fig. 2.

0 Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention I employ an external tank or casing 1, the upper end of which is preferably open. This casing 1 is ,5 divided into upper and lower compartments through the medium of an internal partitionplate 2, from the central portion of which rises about an opening 3 therein a vertical pipesection 4. This pipe-section 1 extends, as

L shown, through the open under side of and into a casing or gasometer 5, the latter being of less circumference than the casing 1 and being supported by means of brace-arms 6 or otherwise within the upper portion or upper compartment of said casing 1. As indicated in the drawings, the pipe-section 4: terminates short of the under side of the closed top of the gasometer 5. Suitably secured on the outer side of the casing 1 is a vertical water-conduit 7, the lower end of the latter leading into the lower end portion of said casing 1. Supported from the top of the casing or gasometer 5 is a suitably-sized carbid hopper or tank 8, the lower and substantially conical end of which is connected withthe interiorof the gasometer 5 through the medium of a discharge-pipe 9, said discharge-pipe being provided above the gasometer 5 with a suitable cut-off valve, of which 10 represents the operating-handle. \Vithin the gasometer 5 I provide a suitable iioat 11, which, as indicated more clearly in Fig. & of the drawings, may be in substantially the form of a half-disk, which is formed on its straight side with a central rounded depression 11 to receive onehalf the circumference of the pipe-section at. \Vith the float 11 is connected a vertical bar or standard 12, and to the upper end of this standard is pivoted one end of a bar 13, which extends, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, to a point beneath the carbidhopper discharge-pipe 9. The bar 13 is pivotally supported midway of its length by a hanger 1 1, which depends from the top of the gasometer 5. As shown in the drawings, the inner end of the bar 13 is provided with a slightly-inclined valve-plate termination 15, which is adapted when the inner end of the bar is moved upward to close the correspondingly-inclined outlet end of the pipe 9.

Extending through the top of the gasometer 5 and a short distance within said casing is a vertical pipe 16, the upper end of which leads into a horizontal pipe-section 17 on the outer side of said casing-top. This pipe-section has leading from one end thereof an arm 18, on which is mounted a suitable gas-receiving filter 19, from the upper portion of which leads a gas-supply or service-pipe 20. Connected with and extending through the opposite end of the pipe-section 17 is a vertical pipe 21, the latter depending within the gasometer 5 and having its lower end open and near the lower end of said gasometer. .In the pipe 17 I provide a suitable cut-01f valve 22 between the pipe 16 and the lilter 19, and I also provide in said pipe 17 a suitable cut-off valve 23 between said pipe 16 and the pipe 21.

As indicated by the broken lines in the drawings, the upper compartment of the tank 1, as well as the lower portion of the gasometer 5, is adapted to receive a desirable quantityLof water, which may be poured in through the open upper end of the main casing 1. The lower compartment of the tank or casing 1 below the partition 2 is supplied with a desirable volume of Water, which is discharged therein through the open upper end of the conduit 7. The lower portion of the tank 1 is provided with a suitable outlet-opening which is normally closed by a detachable plug '24.

Water being supplied to the compartments in the manner described and there being a suflicient volume of water within the drum or gasometer 5 to hold the float 11 at such elevation as to prevent the discharge-pipe 9 being closed by the Valve-plate 15, it will be understood that the carbid within the hopper 8 may drop through the discharge-pipe 9 and pipe-section 4 into the generating-chamber of the tank 1, which is below the partition 2. The gas, generated in the usual manner, rises from the lower compartment of the tank through the pipe-section 4 and fills that portion of the gasometer 5 which is between the water therein and the upper side of said casing, and when the pressure of gas thus generated is sufficient to exert the required downward movement of the water within the gasometer 5 it is obvious that the float 11 will be lowered suiflciently to cause the upper end of the bar 13 to close the carbid-outlet pipe 9, thereby automatically cutting ofi the feed of the carbid from the hopper. The valve 23 being closed and the valve 22 open, it will be understood that the gas generated and conveyed to the gasometer 5 in the manner hereinbet'ore described may pass out through the pipes 16 and 17 into the filter 19, from which it may be directed through the pipe 20 to any suitable point or points of use. It is obvious that by closing the valve 22 and opening the valve 23 the gas generated within the gasometer 5 may be permitted to escape from the pipe-arms 17 into the pipe 21. However, the

principal office of the pipe 21 is to provide an outlet for any surplus of generated gas the pressure of which is suflicient to force the area water contained in the gasometer 5 below the lower end of the pipe 21.

From the construction and operation which I have described it will be observed that the body of water within the upper compartment of the casing and within the lower portion of the gasometer will not only serve to seal the gas against escape from the lower portion of the gasometer through the external casing, but that the height of the float will be dependent upon the height of the water and that on the position of said float depends the feed of calcium carbid from the hopper. It will also be observed that simple means are provided for the withdrawal of the gas from the gasometer and for permitting the escape of a desirable quantity of gas in case an undesirable pressure of gas is generated.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a tank-body having upper and lower water-containing compartments, of a gasometer fixed within the upper compartment, a connection between the upper portions of the lower compartment and gasometer, a float within the gasometer, a carbid-hopper, means regulated by the float for controlling the supply of carbid to the lower compartment, a gas-outlet pipe leading from the upper portion of the gasometer and a pipe leading from the lower portion of the gasometer.

2. In an acetylene-gas generator, the combination with a tank-body having upper and lower watercontaining compartments, of a gasometer fixed within the upper compartment, a connection between the upper portion of the lower compartment and gasometer, a float within the gasometer, a carbid-hopper,

-means regulated by the float for controlling the supply of carbid to the lower compartment, a gas-outlet supply-pipe leading from the upper portion of the gasometer, a pipe leading from the lower portion of the gasometer, and valve-controlled connections between said pipes on the outervside of the gasometer.

\VILLIAM B. DICKSON. In presence of C. (J. SHEPHERD, A. L. PHELPS. 

